In August 1954, VF-83 transitioned to the F7U-3M Cutlass equipped with the AIM-7 Sparrow air-to-air missile, and on 1 July 1955 was re-designated as attack squadron VA-83.

From July to August 1958 following continued civil violence in Lebanon, VA-83 was deployed as part of Air Task Group 201 (ATG-201) aboard USS Essex.

The squadron flew sorties during the U.S. Marine Corps landings in Lebanon, and two of its aircraft were hit by hostile small arms fire receiving minor damage.

In August 1962, a squadron A4D-2N Skyhawk cross-decked aboard the British carrier HMS Hermes.

In late 1963 a detachment of VA-83 also operated from USS Lake Champlain providing fighter cover for Anti-Submarine Carrier Air Group 52 (CVSG-52).

In 1973, the squadron won its third CNO Aviation Safety Award and in March 1974 they began their 14th Mediterranean deployment.

From July to August 1974, the squadron operated in the vicinity of Cyprus following a coup in that country and its invasion by Turkish forces.

In 1975 they completed their 25th year as an active squadron, and had amassed 20,000 accident free flight hours which earned them another CNO Safety Award.

From May to June 1981 while embarked on USS Forrestal, VA-83 operated in the eastern Mediterranean following Israeli reprisal raids against Syrian missile batteries located in southern Lebanon.

During this exercise two F-14 Tomcats from USS Nimitz shot down two Libyan SU-22 Fitters on 18 August, in what became known as the "Gulf of Sidra incident".

1987 marked their final deployment with the A-7, and in November they began the transition to the F/A-18C Hornet, and on 1 March 1988 were re-designated to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA-83).

VFA-83 was then reassigned to Carrier Air Wing Seven and deployed again on USS Dwight D. Eisenhower to the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean from October 2006 to May 2007.